Spending more on the match fee than my Chrono

[TWHaz]

Ahhh, tales of the chrono.

So many variables, any one of which can produce a different result.

I have been re-loading rifle and pistol for many years. Shooting out to 1000 yards. (rifle)

If you and your dad are new to loading or using a chrono, the results were average.

Learn from your experience and overcome.

There is lots of info on this forum and the net.

Study time.

[GrumpyOne]

Ouch! Reading this entire thread, it seems to me that it is time to investigate some new powders....

[SNSCaster2]

I have a similar experience that happened at the 2009 IL Sectional. . We (my dad and I) loaded up several thousand .40's using our 175SWC lead bullet and I think about 5.4 gr WST. On our pro chrono we were making major pf easily hitting 170-172 pf. Our shop is cool, about 70 degrees, and it wasn't too hot when we were testing the ammo. . So match day comes and we head to the chrono after eating lunch and there's our ammo sitting in ziploc bags piled on top of each other on the table. I was the second from the top and went to the line to shoot and what do you know, low 160,000 pf. WTF!?! Talk about embarassing. Turns out the ammo nearest the top of the pile got pretty hot sitting in the midday sun. Several of the first shooters readings were not what they expected as well. After 10 minutes of bitching and moaning and being told our powder was bad(BS), we were able to get fresh, cool ammo right out of the mags on our belts, and made major with exactly the pf we expected.

This could be a match screw up topic of it's own, but the point is to make sure the people working the chrono know to keep the ammo out of the sun just as it's stated in the rule book. Another lesson learned is that WST IS inversely temp sensitive!

[dansy]

As much as having a good chrono it's also important to learn the specific of the powder that we used....ie: I use either 3n38 or 4756 and I know them very well, I chrono a lot more then just before the match so I know just about what to expect at the chrono. I also chrono in the winter to see what happen and I keep it in a spread sheet. Never when minor yet (tap wood here)

One example would be the 4756 (IMR) vary quite a bit between lots while the 3n38 is pretty much constant.

[nitram]

I had a similar experience at the NC section last year. Got to the chrono stage and found out that I was shooting 124 PF. I felt like I really screwed up trying to get a lite load. Lesson learned I now load to 135+. I feel your pain.

[TRev1911]

I just ordered a chrono from CED - I don't want my name to be on the chrono's OOP's board.

[Gary J]

I had one of those, but it died suddenly within a year. If you shoot a lot it best to buy premium equipment.